Types of Texts Assigned for Reading Instruction

Consistent with the two overarching purposes for reading emphasized in the PIRLS 2016 Assessment Framework, PIRLS inquired of teachers how frequently they asked their students to read various types of literary and informational texts.

Exhibit 9.5 presents information about the types of literary texts teachers ask students to read. Short stories were by far the most popular type of literary texts, assigned at least weekly for 78 percent of the students on average. Longer fiction books with chapters were assigned to only 41 percent of the students on a weekly basis, and few students were assigned plays (9%) this frequently.

Exhibit 9.6 presents information about the types of informational texts teachers ask students to read. Nonfiction subject area books were the most common types of informational texts, assigned at least for 71 percent of the students on average. Nonfiction articles were assigned to 39 percent of the students and longer nonfiction books with chapters to only 24 percent.